All our audio files are 96 kHz / 24 bit .WAV files.
They are higher quality files than most other samples.
A 96 kHz sample rate means better time stretching and pitch shifting, and has many other benefits for professional workflows. 96 kHz files are easily converted to lower sample rates.
24 bit is the standard bit depth of most production grade audio and recordings; higher bit depths allow more flexibility while producing. Our files work fine in 16 or 32 bit projects in any software.
They work in any software or hardware as standard .WAV files, and may be mono, stereo, or a spatial format.
Most audio files that "don't work" come down to a difference in sample rate, bit depth or channel count.
MIDI files
Our MIDI files are regular MIDI files: patterns of notes and controller changes over time.
Import, drag, or load them in any MIDI capable software, or on any hardware.
Most are single parts, like chords or a melody. Some are complete songs with multiple parts that import onto multiple tracks.
Your software may ask whether to import the tempo and time signature in the clip. That's normal, but you should probably say no if you're adding it to a project you're already working on.
Software compatibility
If something isn't working or loading, first update your software. We usually develop in the latest versions.
Each release page says which software it's designed for. If in doubt, ask us and we'll tell you whether it will work with your setup.
You can always use any .WAV audio in our packs to make your own instruments.
Where to keep our files
Unzip your downloads and store them somewhere you'll remember.
Keep every release in one folder that doesn't move, named "Subsocial Studios". It makes your life a lot easier, you'll see.
Most problems loading instruments, effects or presets are missing or moved files. For help with each format, see formats below.
Remember: keep our release folders intact and load things from where they are in them, and everything will always work.
Downloads & orders
Sometimes downloads fail. All our files and ZIP packages are tested to work, so if a download won't unzip, or files are missing after you unzip it, download the ZIP again: the download may have failed or been corrupted.
On Windows, if you have trouble opening ZIP files, update your unzip app, or try the latest 7-Zip (it's free).
After buying a single release you have 30 days to download your files. If you miss that window, or need the files again later, contact us with your original order number and we'll send you fresh links.
In the members area on the web, or in the Subsocial Forever app, you can download whichever releases you want, whenever you need them. The app adds easy bulk downloads and more: it's the full Subsocial Forever experience.
Please note: sharing a login or account is not allowed, in the app or on the web.
Spatial audio
All our current spatial audio releases come in binaural and first order Ambisonics formats.
We release Ambisonics in B-format AmbiX because it sounds good and is easy to capture, use and produce with. It converts easily to other spatial formats, and works as immersive audio for VR and game design. Our binaural files are rendered from the same Ambisonic recordings.
Spatial audio is anything "beyond" stereo. It sounds impressive on playback systems that support it, and the files are still .WAV files in most cases.
The simplest spatial format is binaural: two channels that play on anything that plays stereo. The only real requirement is headphones, to hear the extra depth. You can use any of our binaural files as ordinary stereo files; just keep this in mind.
Any multichannel .WAV with three or more tracks is probably spatial audio. Your software needs to support multichannel .WAV files to use it; most professional audio software does.
If spatial audio is new to you, you'll most likely want to learn more about producing with it before using the spatial formats.
Our Ableton releases are laid out much like Ableton project folders.
.ALS
Ableton Live sets: the project files.
.ALC
Ableton MIDI or audio clips with their own sounds and effects attached. Sort of like track presets: dragging them onto a new track is what they're made for.
.ADG
Device groups: drum racks, synthesizers, samplers, or just effects racks, to load into any other set.
.ADV
Device presets: instrument, sampler or synthesizer patches, or effects presets. Load them from anywhere through Ableton's browser; double click one to load it into a new instance of its device. Keep Ableton 12 (and later) .ADV files with the included "Ableton Folder Info" folders to use the tags and filters we've made for them.
We highly suggest
Create a folder named "Subsocial Studios".
Download and unzip each release into it; future downloads go in the same folder, and Ableton shows new folders automatically. Each release is a folder inside "Subsocial Studios".
Open Ableton and add the "Subsocial Studios" folder to Places in the browser.
Drag and drop any of our sets, .ADG files (racks, instruments, effects) or presets into any set you're working on, and they'll just work.
Moving an .ADG file out of its release folder and loading it in another set makes Ableton say "Media files are missing." That's normal: put the .ADG file back in its original folder, or re-link the media files in Ableton.
FL Studio
For the best compatibility, update to the latest version of FL Studio. All our FL Studio releases work with all versions of FL Studio.
As FL users know, you need to enable Browser extra search folders in Options › File settings and add your own folders to load things from the FL browser. Load files from those folder locations, or drag and drop a whole release folder into the FL browser before loading anything into your project.
Files & folders
.FLP
Complete FL projects. They load like any other FL project.
.FST
FL presets of all kinds: anything from a single device, effect or instrument preset to a complex Patcher preset with its own control surface.
Things always load and work if you load files from the release folder and don't move them out of it. To move your files, move the whole release folder.
Logic Pro
For the best results, update to the latest version of Logic Pro from the App Store. All our Logic releases work with Logic Pro, including the version in Apple's Creator Studio bundle; they're the same Logic Pro.
Files & folders
.LOGICX
Complete Logic projects. They load like any other Logic project, and may or may not contain embedded audio and other resources.
.PATCH
Channel strip presets with smart controls, audio effects and/or instruments. They may or may not contain embedded audio and other resources.
.EXS
Logic Sampler instruments. .PATCH files may need them to load sampler instruments, and you can load them on their own.
.PST
Simple presets for a single effect or instrument.
Kontakt & Battery
For the best results, update to the latest Kontakt or Battery with Native Access.
Important: all our Kontakt releases need the full, paid version of Kontakt. The free Kontakt Player only loads official Kontakt libraries.
Files & folders
.NKI
Single Kontakt instruments. Drag and drop them, or load them from Kontakt's browser. They may or may not contain embedded audio and other resources.
.NKC .NKR
Come with .NKI files and make the instruments work as intended. You can ignore them, but don't delete them.
.NKM
Kontakt multis: several instruments at once, with their signal flow settings.
Some of our Kontakt releases embed the audio and resources in the .NKI as a monolithic file. Others don't, to save storage, because they're part of a release with several formats. To make any of our Kontakt instruments portable, save it as a monolithic file so the audio is embedded.
Decent Sampler is a high quality, easy to use, highly capable and totally free sampler. It works in any DAW (VST, AU, AAX), standalone on Mac and Windows, and on Apple and Android devices, with no limits, paywalls, nag screens or surprise subscriptions. Its Browse feature sells commercial instruments, or you can load instruments like ours from your computer.
After installing it, set your Instruments Location and keep our releases there, as whole release folders. You can also drag and drop our instruments into Decent Sampler, in your DAW or standalone.
Files & folders
.DSPRESET
Single instrument presets that need a Samples folder of .WAV files and other resources beside them; nothing is embedded. You'll see them in releases with several formats, to save storage.
.DSBUNDLE .DSLIBRARY
Audio and resources embedded, totally portable: they need no other files or folders. A single preset or a bank of several.
MPC
For the best results, update your Akai software and/or hardware:
All our MPC releases work with most modern MPC software and hardware that supports MPC expansions (.XPN) and .XPM programs and kits.
Files & folders
.XPN
Drag and drop expansion installers, audio and resources embedded. Drag them into your MPC software, or onto your MPC's internal storage where its expansions live (the Expansions folder).
.XPM
Single programs, or kits. You'll see them inside the expansion once it's installed.
Only after the MPC kits? You can safely delete every other file and folder in the release folder to save space.
Our Serum presets are .fxp files in the included folder Serum Presets/Subsocial Studios/<release name>. Each .fxp holds everything its preset needs.
In Serum, click Menu (top right), then Show Serum Presets folder. Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) opens.
Go into the Presets folder you now see.
Drag our "Subsocial Studios" folder into it. If there's already a "Subsocial Studios" folder there, drag in just the folder named after the preset pack instead.
A bank of Subsocial Studios presets shows in your presets menu the next time you load Serum. The preset folders are:
Our Vital releases are .vitalbank files: complete banks of presets, holding everything they need.
Open Vital, click the Vital menu icon and choose Import Bank.
Find the .vitalbank file you downloaded and click Open.
The bank installs to your default Vital presets folder and shows as a new folder in the presets browser, ready to play.
Troubleshooting
On some Windows systems the presets don't appear after importing a bank. If so:
Rename the .vitalbank file to end in .zip.
Extract the .zip file.
Copy the extracted folder into your Vital folder, User/Documents/Vital. Anywhere in there works; it shows up the next time you load Vital.
Tips: if you ever move or delete your Vital folder, Vital asks where to install presets the next time it starts, and you can choose the new place. Organize presets however you like, but keep banks and packs in a subfolder named "Presets": Pack or Bank Name/Presets/preset.vital.
